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EMTC Mission statement
European Music Therapy ConfederationThe European Music Therapy Confederation was founded in 1990, as a forum for exchange between music therapists in Europe. Since this time regular meetings have been held, at conferences, within smaller working groups, and communication through email exchange. While the theoretical basis, methods and concepts of music therapy training are different within each country, the overall purpose of the EMTC is to nurture mutual respect, understanding and exchange. We consider it timely to actively foster and improve international cooperation to a level that is more operational, and therefore has more influence. This is essential for the further development of the profession world-wide. Consistency of a high professional level of practice is vital, in a way that maintains individuality of approach, philosophy and specialism. Current status In May 2004 the EMTC achieved official asbl status at EU level in Brussels, as a non-profit making, international, professional organisation, according to Belgian law. This new EMTC has Statutes, By Laws and an Ethical Code. It is managed by an administrative infrastructure consisting of a Core Board (President, General Secretary, Treasurer) and a Board (Core Board, plus 3 Vice Presidents representing south, middle and north Europe). Membership The EMTC is a confederation of professional music therapy associations (i.e. associations of qualified, practising music therapists). Member countries have a single representative. This representative is voted by the member associations (the professional association(s) within each country). The country representative is responsible to the national associations who are members of the EMTC. Today, membership includes music therapists from all 19 EU countries, and from EU candidate countries in Eastern and Central Europe. Member countries are currently: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Yugoslavia, and Israel (non-voting member). European Conferences Every three years the EMTC organises a European Conference – a forum for professional exchange with a clinical, professional and research focus. These important events have taken place since an initial conference in the UK in 1989, as follows: 1992: Spain; 1995: Denmark; 1998: Belgium; 2001: Italy; 2004: Finland; 2007: Netherlands. The present and the future In the future the EMTC will continue to work actively to promote the further development of professional practice in Europe, and to foster exchange and collaboration between member countries. At present, the EMTC has established a European Research Register (ERR), which is updated at regular intervals. In addition, a number of EMTC Commissions (working groups) are in operation and details of these are given within the EMTC Website. A current and future priority is the setting up of the European Music Therapy Register (EMTR), a development that is linked to the higher education standards of bachelor and master level qualifications (i.e. this accredited standard is required by the EC, following the Bologna Treaty). At this moment there are 60 official training courses throughout Europe: 19 in the South, 22 in the Middle and 19 in the North. 30 of these are accredited at MA, with 11 on BA level. The EMTR will therefore both support professional practice in each country and have implications for future work. This is therefore an exciting time for music therapy in Europe and for the EMTC.For further information please contact the music therapy co-ordinator of the country that you are interested in. 
EMTC 2005 Compiled by EMTC Core Board: Prof Dr Jos De Backer (President), Dr Monika Nöcker-Ribaupierre (General Secretary), Dr Julie Sutton (Treasurer) |